Motor Racing: Kasey Kahne passes Jeff Gordon for Pocono win

Jeff Gordon had the inside line, a lead and his first win of the season in sight, usually a sure thing for Pocono's top winner.

Kasey Kahne was about out of time to pass his Hendrick Motorsports teammate.

"It was either to go for it and make it work," Kahne said. "Or not."

Cruising from the outside, Kahne got the jump he needed, zipped past Gordon and pulled away with two laps left Sunday to win at Pocono Raceway."I about gave it away when Jeff got by me," Kahne said.Kahne recovered in the No. 5 Chevrolet for his second victory of the season, all but securing his spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. He had the car to beat for the final half of the 400-mile race until a late caution bunched up the field.

Gordon nudged past Kahne after some thrilling two-wide racing and seemed poised to win at Pocono for the seventh time. After the final caution, Kahne was simply too fast, too strong to be denied his first win at Pocono since 2008.

So close to the checkered, this loss stung Gordon. Even worse, his runner-up finish came on his 42nd birthday in his 42nd career Pocono start.

"I thought all I needed to do was get in here and got to the bottom and I'd be good," Gordon said. "He got a killer run and blasted by on the outside of me. Caught me by surprise. It just kills your momentum."

Kurt Busch, who also celebrated a birthday, Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounded out the top five. The top five cars were Chevrolets.

Busch helped out Kahne with one final push down the frontstretch to find some needed speed.

INDYCAR

Charlie Kimball slipped by Simon Pagenaud with 18 laps remaining and pulled away to win the Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

Racing in a backup car after wrecking in practice Saturday morning, Kimball beat Pagenaud to the finish line by more than 5 seconds for his first career IndyCar victory.

Pagenaud held on for second. Dario Franchitti was third, followed by Will Power and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Kimball, a diabetic in his third season with Chip Ganassi Racing, had only led 15 laps in his IndyCar career before dominating after taking the lead from Hunter-Reay a third of the way through the 90-lap event. Kimball led a race-high 46 laps in all, including the final 18 after he roared by Pagenaud.

NHRA

Matt Hagan raced to his fourth victory of the year to extend his Funny Car points lead, beating Bob Tasca III on in the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash.

Hagan, the 2011 Funny Car champion, powered his Dodge Charger to a 4.171-second run at 294.75 mph. Tasca, seeking his first win in nearly a year, slowed to a 5.324 at 164.81 in his Ford Shelby Mustang.

Morgan Lucas won in Top Fuel, and Vincent Nobile topped the Pro Stock field.

Lucas claimed his first victory of the season and eighth of his career, knocking off David Grubnic in the final. Lucas finished in 3.908 at 296.57, while Grubnic followed in 4.253 at 256.31.